Flying-machine.



J. W. CANRIKEr FLYING MACHINE;

APPLICATION FILED cT. 9. I9l6.

1,234,727. Patented July 31, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- J. W. CANRIKE.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-9.1916.

1,234,727. Patentedhl ,1917.

2 SHEETS ET 2.

I *UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JOHN w. CANRIKE, or cornwa'rnn, MICHIGAN.

FLYING-Madame Specification ol Letter sTPatent. PatentedUuly 31, 1917.

Application filed October 9, 1916. Serial No. 124,679.

. vention to provide an improved driving means by the use of which the craft upon which it is mounted can be caused to rise from the ground in a very short space without a long preliminary run, and which in turn shall be capable of descending safely within alike limited space. To this end, it

is one of the objects of my invention to provide a new and improved form and arrangement of driving connections between the engine and the propeller or propellers. It is another object of my invention to provide for swinging the propeller means vertically relative to the framework of the craft, suitable means being provided for accomplishing this result readily and easily while at the same time holding the propeller firmly in position relative to the frame as may be desired. It is another object of my invention to improve devices of this type in sundry details hereinafter pointed out. They preferred means by which I have accomplished my several objects are illustrated in {the drawings and are hereinafter specifi- 'cally described. That which I believe to be newand desire to cover by this application is set forth 111 the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is vertical cross-section through a portion of an aeroplane showing my improvements Fig. 211s horizontal section taken substantialiy online 2.2 of Fig. 1;

3 an enlarged detail, being a longi-' tudinal vertical section through the walkingbeam by which the propeller is held in posi tion relative to the frame the chain by which connection is made to the controlling gearing being shown removed froinits c0nnection withsaid gearing; i Fig. 4: is a'vertical cross-section through the controlling gearing showing the engage ment of the chain therewith;

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section through line 88 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the several figures of the drawings in which corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters,-

10 indicates the framework of an aeroplane provided with planes 1112 of any suitable type and provided with one or more supporting wheels 13. A horizontal shaft 14 is revolubly' supported across the front of the framework between upright bars i l516 of said framework, said shaft being provided with a bevel gear 17 which meshes with a bevel gear 18 which is connected by means of a shaft 19 with a motor 20 of any suitable type. In the preferred construction, a clutch 21 of any suitable type is provided adapted to be operated by a lever 22 for throwing'the motor 20 into and out of operative connection with the gear 17.

Revolubly mounted upon the shaft l lso as to swing readily thereabout is a yoke 23 which provides'a bearing 24 for the rear end portion of a shaft 25, upon which shaft is fixedly mounted a gear26 meshing with the gear 17. The bearing 24 is of any suitable type to take both the side pressure and the end thrust of the shaft 25, as hereinafter described. lhe forward end of the shaft :25 is supported relative to the yoke 23 and the shaft 14 by means of laterally-extending ties 27-28 and trussed-horizontal ties 29-30,

15-46 is a bar or shaft 33 upon which is revolubly mounted a gear or drum 3% to which is.fixedly connected ahand-wheel 35 by which the drum or gear is adapted to be tnrned'about the shaft 33. A friction ring 36 is fixedly connected with thegear or drum 34. ,A sleeve 37 is fixedly mounted upon the bar or shaft 33 adjacent to the friction ring V .36 provided with an arm 38 extending therefrom. A friction band 39 surrounds the friction ring 36, one end of the band 39 being fixedly connected to the arm 38, and the other end of said band being adjustably connected to said arm 38 by means of a lever 40 and a link 41. As will be readily understood, when the lever 40 stands in the position shown in' Fig. 5 the band 39 serves to hold the ring 36 and the drum 34 against rotation upon the shaft 33. \Vhen the lever 40 is moved a short distance to the right in said F ig. 5, the band 39 is released from the ring 36 permitting the said ring 36 and the drum 34 to rotate freely relative to said shaft.

42 indicates a walking-beam pivotally connected by means of a pin 43 with the bearing member 31, being adjustably connected at its upper end portion with the drum 34 and the hand-wheel 35. This adjustable connection between the walking beam 42 and the drum 34 is effected by means of a chain 44 which extends about the drum 34 and is connected at its ends to the said walking-beam, being preferably maintained fairly taut so as to provide very little lost motion, if any, in the connection between the hand-wheel 35 and the walkingbeam. The several links of the chain 44 are so formed and so connected with each other as to provide ample lateral flexibility so as to permit the chain to be wound spirally about the drum 34 as shown in Fig. 4. The transversely-extending portion 45 of each of the links of the chain is bent into a loop, as is best shown in Fig. 8, whereby such portions of the several links are adapted to engage the laterally-extending bars or pins 46 of the gear or drum 34. With the chain 44 extending tightly about the drum 34 in a single spiral loop therea'bout, the chain is held against slippage relative to the drum, serving thus to hold the Walking-beam against adjustment. The arrangement is such that a very considerable amount of force must be applied through the walkingbeam 42 to rotate the drum-34, even without the application of the braking device to such drum, while at the same time force can be applied through the hand-wheel to very good advantage for moving the walkingbeam longitudinally of itself.

In the use of my improved construction, whenever it is desired to cause the craft to move quickly upward or downward, the propeller 32 and its shaft 25 are moved quickly inthe desired direction for effecting this result. Before the, start for a flight from the ground, the shaft 25 and propeller 32 will be moved upward relative'to the framework so as to cause the propeller to lift sharply upon the forward end of the framework, causing the machine to rise quickly from the ground within a very small space. \Vhen the propeller is held in elevated posithe frame, but it also has a tendency to condense the atmosphere underneath the planes between the planes and the ground, producing an additional tendency to raise the craft quickly. Whenever in starting a flight or in flying close to the ground it is or may be desired to shift the propeller quickly relative to the framework, the operator preferably maintains the position of the propeller as desired through his hold upon the hand-wheel 35, but Whenever it is desirable to do so the operator can set the propeller at the desired position and lock it against adjustment by the use of the braking mechanism.

It will be understood that in an operative construction embodying my improvements suitable means will be provided as is usual in flying machines for controlling the machine, such as horizontal rudders, vertical rudders, and plane-warping mechanisms. Any suitable type of automatically-acting stabilizers may be used as desired.

While I have shown a craft provided with only a single propeller, it will be understood that any suitable number of propellers may be employed as desired without departing from my invention. It will also be understood that I do not wish to restrict myself to the arrangement for driving the gear 17 as shown in the drawings, the engine 20 and its connecting means being given any suitable arrangement as may be desired by the designer of any'particular craft.

So far as I am aware, I am the first in the art to provide for controlling the position of an adjustable propeller by means of a rigid bar or link, such as the walkingbeam-42, having an operative pivotal connection at one endwith the propeller and being itself held in adjusted position by means of .a flexible connector secured at its ends to the link and having its intermediate portion extending tightly about a drum revolubly mounted in suitable position, the flexible connector serving to hold thelink in close proximity to the drum. In view of the great utility of this form of controlling device for this purpose, being responsive to the application of a slight external force for turning the drum while at the same time being adapted to resist strongly any tendency of the propeller to shift its position independently of the operator, I wish to claim this expedient broadly in the combination shown, and my claims are to be construed accordingly.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a flying-machine, the combination of a framework, an engine mounted on said framework, a. propeller operatively connected with said framework and adapted to be adjustable angularly relative thereto, connections between said propeller and said drum rotatably mounted on said frameworkin spaced relation to the axis about which the propeller is adjustable, and a flexible connector secured at its ends to .the link and extending at an intermediate point tightly about said drum serving to hold the link in position adjacent to the drum and serving to hold said link in adjusted position relative to the drum.

2. In a flying machine, the combination of a framework, an engine mounted. on said framework, a propeller operatively connected with said framework and adapted to be swung vertically about a horizontal transverse axis relative to said framework, driving connections between said propeller and said engine effective at any desired vertical adjustment of the propeller, a bar operatively connected at one end with said propeller and extending obliquely backward to a point above the axis about which said propeller is adapted to be swung, and means comprising a chain adjustably connected to said framework for shifting said bar.

.3. In a flying machine, the combination of a framework, a shaft mounted thereon extending transversely thereof, a second shaft adapted to be swung about said firstnamed shaft, bevel gears operatively connecting said two shafts, a propellerfixedly connected with the free end portion of said second shaft and adapted to be moved vertically with said shaft about said firstnamed shaft, a bar operatively connected with said second shaft near its forward end, a drum revolubly mounted on said framework, and a flexible connector passing about said drum and connected at its ends to said bar for adjusting the vertical position of said shaft and said propeller.

4. In flying machine, the combination of a framework, an engine mounted on said framework, a propeller operatively connected with said framework and adapted.

to be adjusted angularlyrelative thereto, connections between said propeller and said engine reflective at any desired adjustment of said propeller for rotating the propeller,

a bar operatively connected with said propeller, a drum gear revolubly mounted on said framework, and a chain passing about said drum gear in a single spiral loop and connected at its ends to said bar for adjusting the angle of said propeller.

5. In a flying machine, the combination to be adjusted angularly relative thereto,..'

connections between saidprepeller and saidengine effective atany desired adjustment of said propeller for rotating the propeller, a bar operatively connected at its forward end with said propeller, a drumgear revolubly mounted on said framework, achain passing about said drum gear in a'f'single spiral loop and connected at its ends to said bar, and a hand-wheel operativelyf'connected with said drum gear for rotating said gear for adjusting the angle of -said propeller.

6. In a flying machine, the combination of a framework, an engine mounted on said framework-,--1.a propeller operatively con nected with said framework and adapted to' be adjusted angularly relative thereto, connections between said propeller and said engine effective at any desired adjustment of said propellerxfor rotating the propeller, a bar operatively connected at its forward end with said propeller, a drum-gear revolubly mounted on said framework, a chain passing about said drum gear in a single spiral loop and connected at its ends to said bar, a hand-wheel operatively connected with said drum gear for rotating said drum for adjusting the angle of said propeller, and means for locking said drum against rotation for holding the propeller in fixed adjusted position.

lubly mounted on said framework on a transversely -extending axis and having transversely-extending bars arranged about its periphery, a chain extending tightly v, Ill.

8. In a. flying machine, the combination of a framework, a shaft revolu'blymounted on said framework extending'transverselythereof, a yoke having its end portions 're'v olublymounted on said shaft, a second shaft extending forward from said firstnamed shaft having its rearend portion revolubly mounted in a suitable bearing in said yoke, a bearing for the' forward end portionof said second shaft, means connecting said second-named bearing with said yoke, diagonally-disposed ties connected at their 'forward' ends with said second-named bearing and pivotally connected at their rear ends with said first-named shaft, beveled gearsoperatively connecting said tWolubly mounted on said framcwoi k, and a shafts, a propeller fixedly connected With flexible connector passing tightly about said the free end portion of said second shaft drum and connected at its ends to said bar 10 and adapted to be adjustable vertically With for adjusting the Vertical position of said said shaft about said first-named shaft, a shaft and said propeller. bar operatively connected With said second f shaft near its forward end, a drum revo- JOHN W. CANRIKE. 

